Written by Jayna Baas
The Editors’ Choice Award, formerly Excellence in Editing (EIE), is the contest division of Christian Editors Association (CEA). The division’s motto is, “It takes a team!” and this award celebrates newly released books that are superbly written, well edited, and published by a Christian publisher or author. The Editors’ Choice Award started in 2016 as the Excellence in Editing Award, a part of Christian Editor Connection (CEC), CEA’s matchmaking service for qualified editors and clients.
The Editors’ Choice Award is open to books published in hardcover or paperback in the contest calendar year. Books must be written in English and released in North America, and they must contain a Christian worldview. Each year the contest is open for entries from June through December. If you’ve written, edited, or published a book that’s being released this year, why not get recognized for all the hard work you put into it? The deadline for 2022 entries is December 31. Enter here before November 15 to get a discount on the entry fee.
Finalists are announced in April of the following year. Team members (author, editor, and publisher) each received a finalist award emblem in recognition of their achievement and to use on the book and in their promotions.
Editors’ Choice Award Winners are announced live during PENCON in May, then via the CEC website and Facebook page. Winning team members under the EIE Award each received a printed certificate and digital EIE Winner emblem, and authors received emblem stickers as well. These will be updated to reflect the new name going forward. Editors’ Choice allows each winning team member to choose one prize from a selection of Christian Editors Association benefits:
- one free entry in the next Editors’ Choice Award contest
- one free membership in The Christian PEN
- one free qualifying membership in Christian Editor Connection
- one free Webinar, Lesson Pack, or Group Course from The PEN Institute
Editors’ Choice also interviews the winning authors and editors for the PEN Tips blog.
Check out winning entries from previous years: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. Mel Hughes is the ECA Director. Learn more about the ECA.
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Jayna Baas is the current PEN Director and has been in love with words ever since she learned to use them. As a freelance editor, she specializes in copyediting and proofreading for a polished reading experience. As a Christian fiction author, she is passionate about helping fellow writers present Christ-honoring messages with confidence and excellence. Jayna lives in northern Michigan, where she enjoys gardening, good coffee, and time with family.
